


Can You See Me?

by clearpurity2



Series: One Step At a Time [3]
Category: Senki Zesshou Symphogear
Genre: Gen, literally just a one shot i don't even know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:34:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25040098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clearpurity2/pseuds/clearpurity2
Summary: Things just aren't what they seem.
Series: One Step At a Time [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2077500
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	Can You See Me?

“Hibiki? Hey, Hibiki...”

Her voice was soft, that familiar warmth passing through her body from words alone. It was something only she could do, easing her into a calmer state of mind just by hearing her speak.

“You awake?”

Hibiki hummed, feeling Miku’s fingers travel through her hair, combing through it with ease. Normally it was rough and matted, only because of all the fights she gets into and barely having any time to fix it up afterwards. Miku was always on top of that though, brushing her hair and making it smooth and curly. Though really, Miku is the one that has nice wavy hair.

It was hard to notice at first, especially with her signature bow, but it was a noticeable trait. It was more obvious when wet however.

“So warm...” Hibiki mumbled, a smile forming on her lips.  
“Geez, Hibiki...”

She could hear her pout without even seeing her face. The looks Miku gave her, and even the reprimands, were all something she loved. Of course she didn’t like adding stress to her but Miku was always there to keep her in a straight line. Without her, she’d surely be somewhere else in life. Not here, that’s for sure.

“You sleep too much.” She heard Miku complain but it only made Hibiki chuckle.

“Your lap is far too comfortable to get up from. Wish I could stay here forever.”

“You’d make my legs go numb!”

That would be a problem but Hibiki had an easy solution. Opening her eyes, she grinned.

“Guess I’ll just carry you then!”

That made Miku blush, flicking Hibiki’s forehead in retaliation.

“You’re an idiot...” She mumbled after a few seconds, her fingers soon finding their way back into her hair.  
“But I guess...I wouldn’t prefer you any other way.”

And Hibiki wouldn’t either.

_‘If I can be an idiot and she still stays beside me, then I’ll gladly be one each and every day. If she can accept me being an uncool and tattered hero, then there’s nothing else I’d rather be. I really don’t know what Miku could see in me, but I won’t take it for granted. I...’_

“Hey...” Miku’s voice started again. “Mind if I tell you something?”

Her fingers kept combing and combing, tempting Hibiki to fall asleep but she made sure to listen.

“Hm?” She hummed.

“After everything we’ve been through, it feels hard to believe that we’re still this close. It’s hard to believe how things have changed between us without even realizing it. How could we be so blind?”

Hibiki chuckled, opening her eyes again to look directly up to Miku’s eyes. Even her eyes held that warmth and gentleness in them. How could she radiate so much of it without hardly trying? She couldn’t describe the feeling it gave her.

“Awkwardness!” That was the first word Hibiki had come to mind at least.

“That doesn’t really describe anything.” Miku chuckled.

“Hrm, maybe not, aha...but that’s how it feels right? Or maybe it’s uncertainty? I’m not really...sure on how to describe this feeling right now. I don’t think I could ever put it into words...”

Hibiki trailed off, closing her eyes for only a few seconds before raising her hands to reach for Miku’s face. Her own fingertips began to dance around the ends of Miku’s hair, already feeling embarrassed by the action alone. Is this how Miku felt? But she seemed to be doing it with ease.

Maybe because she was used to it.

“I just know that I don’t want to leave. I want to stay like this for as long as possible...” Hibiki finished, closing her eyes again.

It only took a few seconds before she felt Miku’s hands make their way up to hold her hands.

“You’ll have to eventually.”

“I knowwwww.” Hibiki pouted, gripping her hands tighter. “But not right now!”

“...you might have to.”

Miku’s sudden tone change caused her eyes to open, seeing the girl looking down at her with tears in her eyes. Immediately, Hibiki sat up, looking straight at her.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Miku smiled, the tears streaming down her face.

“I’m so sorry, Hibiki. All of this is too much...”  
“Eh?”

Miku looked away from her, soon standing to her feet and taking a few steps back.

“It gives me false hope that...that one day you’ll actually be able to see me. That you’ll be able to feel the way I do...that this will be what our future holds.”

She let out a airy chuckle, but this one sounded more broken than before.

“Hope for us to move forward, hope for us to get better and stronger, hope that we can save each other from any incoming darkness we may face. The good, bad, sad, happy and awkward times...hope for the future...”

Her smile didn’t change even as Hibiki watched her in concern and confusion.

“Hope for you to understand me...hope for you to &##&4 me.”  
“H-Hope for me to...what...?”

Another broken chuckle.  
“See? You won’t be able to understand me. You can’t give me that false hope...you can’t...”

“B-But I’m not! And I won’t!”

Hibiki intended to get up and take her hand but her body refused to move. She had rolled onto her stomach when Miku got up but now? She couldn’t move. The more she tried, the more paralyzed she felt.

“See? I knew you couldn’t &##&4 me...”

It felt like her body was being pushed down, the pressure beginning to make her entire body ache. Miku was getting further and further away from her, giving this odd sense of dejavu. What happened to turn this around so fast?

“I &##&4 you, Hibiki. Do ¥¥$$& &##&4 me too?”  
“H-Huh...?”  
“A simple yes or no.”  
“B-But I...don’t understand!”

The tears kept running down her face but the smile never changed. Their room was beginning to change, Hibiki feeling heat overwhelming every side of her body.

Miku held her arms out, the smile widening as if she was welcoming her into her arms despite her inability to understand her words. Hibiki continued trying to move, even reaching out her hand towards her hoping it would stretch out to grab her, but it didn’t help.

Instead, Miku’s body began to dissolve, coming apart like petals in the wind.  
“M-Miku!!”

**“ &$#4(8#@‘9#...87#=...#’@9=9....”**

Her words became nothing but static and yet her lips continued to move as she faded.

“Miku, wait! Don’t leave me...! I’ll try to be better, I-I’ll work harder, just don’t go! Please!”

The heat that was overwhelming her formed into fire, their dorm room becoming a battlefield and the features she loved now being replaced with something else.

That hair, still wavy and soft, lost all sunshine and warmth with it.  
Those eyes became piercing, threatening and cold.  
Her voice became deeper and harsh, the opposite of the voice she was accustomed to.

A smirk adorned her lips now, the girl walking towards Hibiki in confidence.

“I knew you didn’t have it in you, god killer.”

Eventually, Hibiki felt fingers grazing her chin, gripping tightly and pointing her face to look directly into those eyes that didn’t belong to the sunshine she knew.

“You wanted to be honest, to meet her halfway. But where did that lead you? To more misunderstandings, more arguments. You haven’t learned a single thing.”

“That’s not true! We’ve been talking more, conveying our emotions, being honest with each other! Sure, it can be...awkward and stressful but we’re trying!”

“Oh?” Shem-Ha seemed amused by her answer, or maybe there was shock as well? Hibiki couldn’t read her properly, even having the face of Miku. She kept her grip on the teenagers face, Hibiki unable to move any other part of her body as the Goddess hummed.

“Has she...told you all about those moments she was envious and jealous? Those times she wanted you, and only you? How she was prepared to do whatever it takes to break that curse so she could talk, regardless of who was hurt? Those ugly, _selfish,_ desires.”

“Miku isn’t like that—“

“Is she not?” Shem-Ha cut her off.  
“Have you not noticed it? Or do you _choose_ to ignore that side of her and brush it off because there’s no way that _‘sunshine’_ could _ever_ cast shadows.”

She moved her face closer, her lips nearly touching hers.

“You cast the biggest one...and it swallows her whole.”

Hibiki had no idea what that meant or even implied. _She_ was the one that cast darkness over Miku?

“All I wanted was honesty, Hibiki...”

Miku’s voice came back, Hibiki staring into those teal eyes of hers.

“To accept me for me...ugly and all. I know I do it for you. How you €£¥§35 every time you %@&$.”

Hibiki couldn’t tell if her mind was blocking out words she should know but...she could already figure out what point she was making.

“But...you must realize now that I’m not perfect, right? That’s where our arguments stem from. How often do we argue?”

Hibiki thought she could only count on one hand how many times they’ve had an argument. They knew each other well enough that it could be avoided, right? Or was it merely them scratching the surface of the problem and ignoring the roots?

Hibiki bit down on her lips.

“I-I...”  
“Pathetic.”

The voice was like a mixture of Miku’s normal tone yet the deeper one that she associated with Shem-Ha. But it was still Miku...

The vambrace on her arm formed its blade, pointing right towards Hibiki’s face.

“But don’t worry. I’ll reunite you both.”

The second she swung that blade was the moment Hibiki opened her eyes, staring right back up at the ceiling as she let out a quick rush of air out of her nose. It wasn't a gasp but her fingers shook ever so slightly.

It was dark in their room, not even the light near their bed being enough to dispel it.

Heat still traveled throughout her body, Hibiki touching her forehead to feel she had been sweating, if it wasn't already obvious enough. She remembered having these dreams before, especially around the time Miku was missing.

Yet, once she turned to look to her left, Miku was there sleeping peacefully. Miku has gotten better about sleeping, her nights going much smoother compared to the ones where Hibiki would wake up finding her crying or merely...staring out into the darkness in silence. Sometimes Hibiki feared that Miku would stay up all night and not tell her out of fear of bothering her.

Waking her up in the middle of the night just to hold her, to keep her calm, would never be an issue. But Hibiki was happy and beyond excited to see her safe and resting beside her like normal.

Just like it’s always been.

But with this reassurance, why did she have this dream?

Hibiki agreed that Miku had changed, she did too, but it couldn’t be the trigger right?

Taking another breath to calm herself down, Hibiki closed her eyes again.

 _‘It’ll be just fine...’_  
And she’d repeat that until she felt herself drifting off to sleep again.

But she still felt a pair of eyes on her.

**Author's Note:**

> I actually got very quick motivation by seeing a fanart of Hibiki reaching out for a fading Miku, so this is how this was birthed. I held onto it for months though, not sure if I should post it now or later with more to the story. But long story short, chose to post this part alone and maybe work on the other one to be separate or a part two to this.
> 
> Either way, so far this will be a standalone (kind of, since it still makes references to my last fics) but hoped it was enjoyable regardless!


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